Apparatus for molding hollow concrete blocks



B. F. P. PooRE 1,857,003

APBARATUS FOR MOLD'ING HoLLow CoNcRETE BLOCKS Filed Aug. lO, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l May 3, 1932.-

Slwcufor @ttor-neg iMay 3, .1932. B. F. P. POORE 1,857,003

APPARATUS FOR MOLDING HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Aug. l0, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 mentor I @ttm-neg May 3, ,1932- l B. F. p. POOR; 1,857,003

l APPARATUS FOR MOLDING HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Aug. lO, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 (ttorneg May 3, 1932. B. F. P; POORE 1,857,003

APPARATUS FOR MOLDING HOLLW CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Aug. 10, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 3, 1932 B; F. P. PooRE 14,857,003

APPARATUS FOR MOLDING HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCKS Filed Aug, lO, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 May 3, 1932. B. F. P. POORE lAPPARATUS FOR MOLDING HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCKS 1 Filed Aug. l0, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented May 3, 1,932

barrenv srA BENJAMIN nir. roonnor GREENVILLE, MIssIssIrrr APPARATUS Fon: MoiQnING HOLLOW CONCRETE nnocxsy Application aied'Aug'us't 1o, 192s. serial No. 298,842.

'The invention relates to an apparatus for molding hollow concrete blocks.

The object of the present inventionjis 4to ,i provide a simple, practical, and comparatively inexpensive apparatusdesigned primarily for molding hollow tapered concrete blocks adapted for supporting frame and ,other structures and designed to take the place of solid concreteblocks ordinarily employed for supporting buildings .and otherstructuresi A further obj-ect yof the invention is to'provide a molding apparatus ofthis'character adapted to mold hollow'concretejbloclis less than the costof constructing solid concrete blocks, and to enabletapered hollow concrete blocks to be readily molded and thejcores to be readily withdrawn and removed'from the molds and the concrete blocks `conveniently handled after the material has set and hardcned.

Another object of the inventionis to'provide simple and eliicient means for holding the tapering molds down upon the' pallets Vto prevent such molds from being lifted by the i plastic concrete when the same is pouredjin'to the molds. *i*

Itis also an object of the invention'to equip the mold with filling collars or sleeves adapted to enable a 'plurality of different'sizes to be molded without changing the size ofthe molds or the cores. L

lVhile the molding apparatus V`desigmed primarily tor molding hollow concrete blocks, yet it is also an object of the application to enable solid tapering concrete blocks to be molded more rapidly and'cheaplythan heretofore.

With these and otherobjects inview, the invent-ion consists in the'construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated "in the accom-v panying drawings, and set yforth inthe claims hereto appended., .it being` understood that minor changes in the form, size,` and minor details of construction, within the kscope of the claims, maybe resortedto without departing from'the spirit of the inventionor sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. Inthedrawingsrw'V Figure 1 is a side elevation of va molding filling collar.`

fillingr collar.l

apparatus constructed in accordance with this application, the cores being shown lowered in dotted lines.

Fig. Qi's a longitudinal sectionalview of the molding apparatus."V Y f Fig. 3 is an end elevation ofV the'molding apparatus, the walls'of the pit being in section and the core being shown lowered in full lines and in elevated operative position in dotted lines.

Fig. 4l isa transverse sectional view of the molding apparatus.

ratus.

Fig. 6 isa horizontal sectional view of the molding apparatus, the pallets being shown in plan view. i

Fig. 7 is a plany view of a portion of the carriage. v

Fig. 8 isa longitudinal sectional view of the carriage. f Fig. 9 isa horizontal sectional view ofthe mold.-.

' FigrlO is a perspective view'of one ofy the concrete blocks having beveled corner edges.

Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional viewof yanother vform of mold having two separable sections.y Y f "1.

Fig., 12 Vis'l a horizontal sectional `viewof another form of mold composed of two hinged sections.' f i Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional'view through one of the moldsi and'illustrating the larrangement of the iilling collar or sleeve for reducingv the leiiective size Vof the'mold.

'Fig'.` 14. vis a horizontal sectional view onV the line 1li-14 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the molding appai Fig. 15'is a detail sectional view iolf the i Fig. 1 6 is a detail perspective yview of the aoA F ig.'-1 7is a plan view of one of the pallets. f VIn the `acconnpanyir-ig drawings,` injwhic'h is illustrated the preferred embodiment oit the invention, the Vmolding apparatus 'com- `prises in itsconstruction a mainjrframef'l o designed tobe constructed of wood or any `:other suitable material and composed of spaced sides and connecting` transverse frame members. The sides of the' frame are formed l by uprights 2 preferably' a ranged upon sills 3, but any other suitable form of base may, of course, be employed. The uprights are connected by top, intermediate, and bottom longitudinal bars 4, 5 and 6. The sides of the frame are connected by top and bottom transverse bars 7 and 8, andthe latter support rails9 which form a trackfor Va carriage 10. The main frame may, of course, be of any other desired construction and may be of any suitable-dimensions. anclsmayfbe of a length to accommodate any desired number of molds. Inf-theaccompanyi-ng drawings, the carriage 10 `is shown supporting Vthree molds, but the number may be varied, as will be readily understood. The main frame is fdesigned. to fbe, llocated over` apit 11 Which is designed to permitV cores.f12..to bei lowered' from. the '.dottedline position illustrated in F ig. 3 of the-'dravvingsto the full line position in-thfe said figure,y for Yremoving thecore fromthe moldl This is preferable when .anmain frame .suchasfis .illustrated in .the accompanying Vdrawings is employed, and there is not suiicient l.head 'groomlto permit the mold, 13 to be lifted off the .molded concrete block 14, .but-'ainain frame-maybe employed of va character which will permit the mold 13 to be removed from fa. molded concreteblocl; .and .ther cores may then be. left in #position .nntillthe Vconcrete fblocks haveset and hardened sufficiently to v en-able.themto be removed from the'cores.

The carriage is preferably' mounted :upon y-Wheels 15 which. are-flanged. as shown to run on the rails9, but any other formof car-- dage Elbe*'ellployedwld'-the1 Said "Carriage 10 is provided With a suitable'frame .having corner standards 1G and upper and Y lower .longitudinal fconnecting. bars 17` ,and

tlflrand upperand lower `transverse -connect- .inggbars .1A9-andp20- "The uppertransverse connecting bars 19 are arranged L iponwthe lupperfaces jofthe vupper l'ongitudinalbars .f ..17 to.. space a. pallet. supporting frame 21 Vfrom the frame of the carriagezfto. provide .a.,.pluralityTof` spaces 22 :beneath t-he.,-pallet supporting framefandcore rest levers23.

y vrl-he pallet.supporting' frame, Whichmay Vbe anypreferred constructiomis composed of suitable .longitudinal bars and connectingYA members, and rit-.is provided. atinter: .vals .with rectangular core receiving-openings 24; through which the coresi'12 project Handwvhich Willpermit the coreslto beraised to operative position and to be `Llowered :into the .bed tol-removethem from the molds 13 when desired. lThe.'.eoresv.l2, Whichflmay be con r-ctedof any.l siiitablelniaterial, in prac A f ofthemol'd 13.7-.The-mold13 1s composed of v.four sim1lar.upWardly. tapered. sides and in- Vtice Willey be :preferably of Woodfand covered fwithra suitable sheathing. 25 ofi 'sheet metal, Tas.

. :fof the drawings.' The coresfarei providedfivith ably cred nppengoor'ion whichis prefer-v i arranged in; `:parallelism iWitlr the .sides illustrated V`in 4detail sin. Figs. 13 and 14; l

widextend across thelc-arriage and are pivoted at one end at 2S to the carriage, and they Aare providedy atlthe'ir-otherends With suitable Agrlps or handles to enable them to be readily 'opened and closed to arrange them beneath theshoulders 27 of the cores and, toy spread them to permit .the cores to bel lowered, The shanks26 vof the cores may beY provided With suitablel openings 29`for the reception of fas- .tening'deviceslfoi' rigidly connecting or se- .curingthe cores Eto the carriage, and anysuitable means may, of course, be provided for positively holding the coreA rest leversin their closed position.y In practice,'tlie weight of the cores resting upon vthe core rest levers will be :ample'to retain the .levers inf their .closed position.

The pallet. supporting frame mayv be .provided .at vthe openings .24 With marginal .flanges 30 forcentering pallets 8l onthe vided .with rectangular. core receiving open- ".infrs-32 vare referabl .rectangular in form ongrips forenabling the palletsv to bereL i' :.moved, and .the .handlesfor grips. :33 .will fa- .cilitatethexremoval .of 'the molded concrete .blocks when removablejpallets employed. .Instead ofprovldingjremovable pallets, -hoW- y ever, Vthe vhandlesor grips 33 may be omitted andthepallets,maybe secured to the frame 21.by.anysuitable'fmeans.V ,'llhe pallets 31 .may be. constructed of any suitable .inateri-al,

.and they are provided preferably at their .A flower faces with reinforcing and supporting :cleats .which restupon-'the pallet support ingframeand Whichit around themarginal flanges 30.. of. therpallet supporting frame.

' The openings 32offthe pallets? 3,1 fitthe loiverrectangula-r portion of thecorfes, which are maintained in an upright position .dur-t ing. the molding, operation, as vclearlyi'llusitrated in Fig.-2 ofthe. drawings.

.The mold. 13, whichlisopen atvthestop, is.`

arranged' Aupon the .pallets 31,',tvhich is providedat itsaupper'. face with cleats 35 surroundingthe opcningtzand beveled at their outer side edgesto-it-the taper. ofthe sides .clined corner bars 36,'.Which form bevels37 2,1tthecorners :ofthe tapered concrete block 14. The sheet metal sidesor -sectionszof the .mold .13 are provided. atthe side edges` lWith l outwardly extending lianges 38, andthe corner strips or bars 36 are secured between the flanges 3 8 by bolt-S89 which will permit the' sides or sections of the mold'to be separated, and the said bolts 39 areprovided with wing nuts 40 for facilitating such-operation. Instead of constructing the ypyramidal molds or forms in four separate sections, they may be constructed of two separable sections .41 provided at opposite corners of the mold or form f means consists of a hasp a hinged at one end at 46 to one of the separable sections 44 of the mold and provided at the other'yend with a slot 47 to receive a staple 48 liXed tofone of the sections 44 and adapted to receive a pin or any other suitable means'for retaining the hasp in its locked position. Any other suitable means may, of course, be employed for detachably securing the abutting edges 49 of the sections together, and the said edges 49 are bent at any angle to rform narrow flanges, as clearly shown in Fig. 12. The separable sections enable the forms ormolds to be opened and closed to loosen them y,from the molded concrete blocks and to arrange them for molding the same.y VVarious other constructions ofA tapering pyramidal molds may, of course, be employed, andfthemold or form may be either lifted off'the moldedy v concrete block, or sections thereof separated to permit removal of the mold or form. Also,

the removal ofthe forms may be elfected while the carriage is within the mainframe,

or if desired, a carriage having a plurality.v

of molded concrete blocks may be runfrom the frame to any other(v suitable kpoint for handling and manipulating the molded blocks and the molding apparatus. In arranging the apparatus for use, they pallets are placed in position on the pallet supporting framesof the carriageand the cores are. set upon'the core rest levers.- The forms are then placedin position, but the operation may be varied by placing. the-forms in position and then raising the cores into position f and setting them upon the core rest levers, and in practice any suitable meansmay be provided for handling the cores for raisingy and lowering the same. Unless the cores are of an excessive Weight the4 molded concretev vridges formed by horizontally disposed bars '51 and 52 which may be either solid bars or cated at opposite sides-of the mainframe,

will retain them-in Vposition-until they are positively pulled from the molded blocks.

lIhe concrete is poured into the ymoldsfroni a suitable spout 50 which maybe movable to transferit l"from one mold to another, or the molds may 'be' successively brought' beneath the spout by movement Yof thev Acarriage. When the concrete is poured into the upwardly tapering mold or form, the tendency of the material is-to lifty 'the form from the pallet, and in order to prevent the form or mold from being liftedfrom the pallet by the action of the concreteor other plastic'material, the molding apparatus is equipped with upper and lower holding deviceswhich securely U cl amp the molds vin position and prevent them from' beingy'lifted by thev molded material. The molds are provided at their upper and lower portions-with horizontal shoulders or pieces, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive', or angle bars, 53 and 54, as shown in Fig. 14. The upper holding devices, which are loconsist of inclined locking' bars 55 having their upper ends 56,bent at an angle-and arranged vertically against the inner faces of the top longitudinal barsof the main frame and pivoted to the 'same by horizontal bolts 5? or-other suitable pivots The kvlowercnds 58of the upper ylocking. bars 55 are vbent at an angleV and are arranged horizontally to engage the upper'horizontal bars 51 of theI molds. The pivoted locking kbars v55 lare adapted to swing on the bolts 57 toengage them with and disengage them'from the upper seats or'ridges formed by the bars 5 1.` The locking bar sf55 are arranged diametricallyoppositeeach other andlirmly hold and brace the'upperfportion ofthe mold. Various other 'forms vof l-holding, devices may be employed for'engaging the upper Vportion yoftheinold forfholding the same rigidly in proper position withy relation to the core and the `Pallet.l

VVarious `forms of lower holding devices ma-y, of course, be employed, and in theaccompanying drawings the lower holding devices are in the form of pivotedv buttons 59 which engage the seats or shoulders formed by the lower bars'52 of the molds. The upper locking bars engage the mold at opposite sides thereofand the pivoted buttons en age y orm and aremounted on transverse supporting the moldf at the Valternate vsides of the bars 60 andare secured to the Same by vertical bolts 61 which pass through central openings in the pivoted buttons.V The pivoted bolts 61 permitthc buttons to be turned into and out of engagement with the lower bars 52 of the molds and they are adaptedto be `located between the molds and are capableof engagingl the adjacent-lower bars 52 of two molds, as clearly illustrated in1Figs.l 2 and 5 @30' ofthe fdrawi-ngs., The pivotedl buttons tare adapted to lbe readily. turn-ed to'. engage them with the lowerbars 52fof the molds-and to diS- engage them fromv the bars fork releasing the molds. Any other suitable loclri-ng Ameans may, of course,be substituted for thepivoted buttons for securing the lower portions of the molds firmly in position to, prevent `the concrete or other material from lifting the molds 1from the-pallets. .Alsoypivoted locking `de,- vices maybe employed at the lower portions of the forms ormoldsatopposi-te sides yof the same, if desired.A This will enablethe lower portion of the vmolds to be locked down at all four sides ofthe same. l

After the bloclrsare lmolded and .the :plastic material vhas Ibeen allowed to set for 'a certain time,themoldsor formsl are removed andthe blocksl are smoothed with a trowel and are allowed to remainon the pallets until the material-llas com letel T set. ,The core'barsma fr maxim-urnV size of concrete block design, and

when it is desired to mold smaller concrete blocks, afiller collar-orsleeve 62 -willbe empl'oyed. In prac-tice, the moldingapparatus Y will be equipped with-a set of filler collars or sleeves of different sizes for varying the elfec'tive `molding space within` .the forms. The filler collar,-which `may -be constructed of Vwood or -any othery suitable material, consists of a horizontalv top 63 and supporting members 64, which forms the sides-ofthe filler collar 'andwhi-ch are preferably secured together at their :side edges. The top 63 is arranged upon the-upper edges of the supporting members 64, which are preferably cut away at the bottoniat--65, as shown. The `horizont-al top l'GS is provided with a centralopening 65aA which lits the tapered portion of the'c'ore, and it has beveled marginal edges 6G which -fit the inner end faces lofgthe .tapering form -or'mold VThe edges of the top at the opening 65a kare inclined or beveled Tand extend downwardly-or outwardly, as clearlyillustrated in Figs. -13 and 15 of the drawings. The supporting members 6l ofthe filler collars; rest-upon the ypallet and supportthe top 63 yin vproper posit-ion within `the mold. i

The filler collar will constitute the bottom of 'themold andby varying vthesie ofthe top 63 and the support 64, concrete blocks of any size within the capacity of the mold may be molded, as will be `read-ily understood. The filler collars will not interfere with the removal of the cores-when thelatter arelowered from' f their Y operative" position, and they may be placed over the `cores whenthe latter are set priorto assemblingthe moldI o'rform and-placingthesame-in position. i The :moldk riage, .an upwardl Y lower iportion oft ing apparatus 1A"will yenable :theatapered Con'- crete. .blocks to be rapidlyand `cheaplyv molded :and neasily and qnickly;han'd`led, f and will materially reducejthe costiof manufacturing blocks. for; supporting various building structures. A,The fapparatus -is also 4adapted for molding solid! tapered-.blocka-and this may be edectedf-byyomittingthe-,cores and the openings inthe pallets and providing a solid pallet. This willf enable solid tapered concrete blocks-tobe manufactured-ata reduced cost.

llVhat'is claimed is :y y

vLA.molding.apparatus ofthe class .described, includinga fixed main frame, amovable carriage,.aipallet -mounted on the movable -carriagd an upwardly. tapered' form removably. arranged Vvupon the pallet, land upper and lower holding devices mounted respectively Von theniain frame andy on the carriageand. engaging the format the upper and lower,,portionsl ,thereof for securing. the form on the pallet to preventthe form from being 4lifted `by, concrete or other plastic material when-the same is lpour-ed into the form.

Q ,Avvimolding apparatus of .the class 2describ'ed, including alix-ed vmain frame,- a movable carriage, a pallet carried by the car- `tapered form arranged upon the .pallet an, provided :with upper and lower seats, upper pivoted locking ybars mounted .onj the fixedvinain frame "andV detachably `engaging -thefupperseats of the format-opposite sides of the same., and lower pivoted4 locking .members mounted on the carriage and engaging'thelower seatsof Vthe form atialternate zsidesthereof.y

.'SQA. molding apparatus:of the vclass described, including a'fiXed4 `main `frame, a 'movableCarriage','a` pallet ,mounted on vthe carriage, a form arranged on Vthe pallet and providedwith upper and lower seats, locking bars pivotdto themain frame and Yengaging the upper seats V'of the form at opposite sides thereof,` and'pivoted locking meinbersmounted on the carriage and vengagingthe lower seats of form att'he alternate sides ofthe said form. I' Y ASA' molding "apparatus of the class described, includingafixeclmain'frame proi.

vidi-idwith a track; a kmovable carriage arranged-ouille track, aipallet mounted on vthe carriage,"^an `upwardly'taperedV Vform arran-ged on rthe palletfupper inclined locking barspivoted lto )the-frame atropposite sides thereof and lf detach-'ably engaging the upper portion V`Vof *the form;4 and horizontallymovable/lower vlocking "members pivota'illly mounted on the carriagev and engaging the sidesthereof. l

5...A molding-f apparatus ofthe class described, includinga.fixedv main frame, a movable. carriage,l -afspalletzmounted 0n the movablecarriafge, a'for'm arranged uponthe ip althe 'form'- .atA the alternate 'iT 

